Land issues to hamper power plant projects

Land-acquisition woes look poised to frustrate the government’s ambitious five-year plan to add 35,000 megawatts (MW) to the electricity grid by building multiple power plants.

The power plant construction project proposed by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s administration is expected to help the country avert a crippling power crisis, with electricity demand rising at a rate of 7 percent a year.

Jarman, the director general for electricity at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, revealed that out of the 35,000 MW goal, state-owned electricity firm PT PLN would develop 15.5 MW and private companies would develop the rest.